Predictors of Caregiver Burden in Caregivers of Bedridden Patients.
Aysun Bekdemir, Nesrin Ilhan
PMID 30431539WHAT IT FOUND
Caregivers of bedridden patients reported moderate burden.
The strongest predictors were the caregiver's own health problems, unemployment, and neglecting their own health. Counterintuitively, caring for patients who were partially dependent, rather than completely dependent, was linked to higher burden.
Key findings
01The mean caregiver burden score was 43.56, falling within the 'moderate burden' range of the scale.
02Caregivers' own health problems were the strongest predictor of burden, followed by employment status, housing type, and their ability to tend to their own health.
03Caregivers of patients who were partially dependent for dressing, continence, and feeding reported significantly higher burden than those caring for completely dependent patients.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The cross-sectional design prevents establishing cause and effect. Data were self-reported, which may affect accuracy. The study was conducted in a specific cultural and economic context (Istanbul, Turkey), which may limit generalizability. The regression model explained only 25% of the variance in caregiver burden, suggesting other important factors were not measured.
Declared interests
The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that caring for a completely dependent patient is the most burdensome scenario. This study found that caregivers of partially dependent patients reported higher burden, likely because the unpredictability and effort of managing partial dependence is more stressful than accepting complete dependence.